Detergent dispensing device



April 1943- M. BADER 2,315,890

DETERGENT DISPENS ING DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Shea} l I INVENTOR, 3y mvo ma,

ATTORNEYS.

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April 6, 1943. BADER v 2,315,890- DETERGENT DISPENSING DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Shet 2 '1 1/ I I 8 l l [I I a I {I I v I w 4 oh va 2. g I

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PAT EZN DETERGENT DISPENSING n-nvron l Glenn M. Bader ltochester, ,N.- Y.

Original application December 8, 1939; Serial No. 308,266. Divided and this application June 10, 1940, Serial No. 339,834 2 Claims. (01. 141-9) My invention relates to dispensers for detergents and the application thereof, and-more particularly to their use in washing operations.-

' In the use of'alkali detergents, it has heretofore been the practice to form dry mixtures of detergent materials which would be poured. into the washing water. This practice has proven most unsatisfactory due to exceptionally fast dissolving of the detergent material and the failure thereof to maintain the wash water at a uniform strength over a period of time. In addition, it ispractically impossible to retain the wash water at uniform strength, as the material has to be added to the water by attendants who merely pour a scoopful of varying quantities into the water periodically. Likewise, considerable loss of the granular material has resulted, particularly in restaurants and the like, due to careless handling and particularly in transportation from the storage receptacle to the washing apparatus. Furthermore, this granular material is subject to considerable deterioration due to absorption of moisture and the like.

Many attempts have been made to overcome the defects of the above described practices by the formation of detergent materials in cakes. Cakes have been Supplied to the washing solution per se and have also been placed openly beneath the spray in spray-type machines, but this treatment permits the cakes to dissolve too fast. In

addition, they have been placed in various types of dispensers but these dispensers have proved unsatisfactory due to the fact that the cakes therein are dissolved unevenly so that there was not a steady, even supply of detergent material supplied by the dispenser.

Having in mind the defects of the prior art devices, it is an object of my invention to provide a detergent dispensing unit that may be easily and cheaply produced, and yet, withstand hard usage, but, nevertheless, provide a uniform dispensing of the detergent materials contained therein.

The foregoing object and others ancillary thereto I prefer to accomplish as follows:-

In using a fast dissolving detergent in the cake form, for instance such as that described in-my copending application Serial No. 308,266, filed December 8, 1939, in a spray type automatic dishwashing machine, a cake may be placed on the tray or screen, and due to its ability to readily dissolve, the water softening and deterging properties will be supplied within two minutes. By the placing of another. cake inasuitable dispensing container withinthemachine where it is subject to the spray, the solution will be maintained at a substantially uniform strength.- -I have found that the most satisfactory dispenser is ingthe form of a relatively simple containerhaving a small hole in the top to admit a small amount of spray, andapair of holes in the bottomto permit the'discharge" of the admitted 'sprayand dissolved material; 'As the spray entersthe'dispenser it contactsthe' detergent cakecontained therein, partially disintegrating the cake, fand drains out of the dischargeholes'bearing' detergent material tocompen'sate for the amounts of material consumed in the solution during wash operations. The top of the container may slope away from the inlet hole to prevent wat nning freely therein. 7 The novel-featuresthat-l consider characteristic of my invention are set'forth-with particu larity-in the appended claims. The inventior'ifitself, however, both as to its-organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages-thereof, will best be understood from the followingdescription-of specific embodimentswhen readin connection with the accompanying drawingain which: 1 Figure -l' is a diagrammatic view -of a vertical cross-section through a- -spray type I automatic washing machine including twodetergentcakes which may be embodiments of my invention,- one of said cakes being located within my simplified type of dispensingunitp a a Figure 21s a 'cross sectional view. inp'erspective' of my simplified container for dispensingmy'new detergent material; 1

,"- Figure 3 is a view. in 'elevati-on' of -a modified form of container for dispensing I my new detergentmateriahand 1;. Figure 4. is a graph showing the alkalinity-of the wash wateriin "a .15 gallon capacity dishwashing machine, the graph showing the results obtained by theme. of an embodiment ofim yinvertion withfastdissolving .crystalliz'edLdetergent ca es; ....t... Mechanical; diShtvashing-Lmay be simplified to the degree of becoming practically fool-proofb y the useiof small (fast dissolving crystallized cakes of solid detergent. J. Cakes ma prodflgediof a size to properly charge the cleaner. tank ofa mechanical spraytype dishwashing machine;--th'a't is, to soften the water and provide sufficient alka linityand washing power; Consequently the operation "becomes substantially f automatic? J and practically-eliminates theijudgment of "the machine operator; whereby "careless :waste 1 and the varying quantities of: material at eachrurf are' Walls I2 of the washing chamber 2 and are adapted eliminated. One of the cakes placed inside the machines will dissolve in 45-50 seconds in water of 145130 F. A cake dissolving this quickly will provide sufilcient washing strength by the time the operator is ready to introduce his first lot of dishes to the machine. To maintain sufficient washing strength during the entire washing period, one or more of the cakes may be placed inside a suitable container within the machine that will allow the solution to dissolve some of the cake material and thereby keep the solution within washing limits.

In th drawings I have illustrated the manner in which fast dissolving crystallized solid cakes may be employed to produce a suitable washing solution in connection with a typical dishwashing machine, diagrammatically illustrated. A complete description of a suitable fast dissolving crystallized detergent cake and a method for making same may be found in my co-pending application Serial No. 308,266, Filed December 8, 1939, from which this application has been divided. Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the machine may be enclosed within a housing I having an entry at one end and an exit at the other. The housing I is divided into a large upper washing chamber 2 and a lower reservoir compartment 3 which is reduced in size. This reservoir compartment is provided with a water inlet 4 and an outlet 5. Hot water may be supplied and the temperature maintained by a burner I positioned under the reservoir compartment 3. A pump 8 is located within the reservoir 3 which may be driven by any suitable source of power.

A wire grating 9 separates the reservoir 3 from the washing chamber 2 and the detergent cakes 6 are placed thereon, as will be more fully discussed hereinafter. Racks I extend along the side to receive wire baskets I3 or other suitable containers filled with soiled dishes I4 or the like. These racks are provided with a series of rollers I I' for movably supporting the baskets I3 so that they may be readily moved along the length of the washing chamber 2. Elongated spray nozzles I5 are located in the top and bottom of the washing chamber 2 so that the baskets I3 may pass therebetween. The spray nozzles I5 are connected to the pump 8 by a conduit I 6.

As mentioned above, the detergent cakes 6 are placed on the grating 9 located between the washing chamber 2 and the reservoir 3. Actual practice has disclosed the fact that two detergent cakes can be arranged to provide and maintain a very constant and efficient solution. One of these cakes 6 is placed openly on the grate so that it may be immediately subjected to the spray and heat, whereupon it will quickly disintegrate and disperse through the water to form an efficient washing solution. The other of the cakes 6 may be located within a dispensing container I1 so as to gradually supply additional detergent to maintain the solution at a substantially constant alkalinity.

The dispenser I1, which is best shown in Fig. 2, comprises a body portion or housing 20 which is large enough to receive one of the cakes 6, and a cover 2 I. The cover 2l has a very small hole 22 in the center thereof to admit spray, and the surface of the cover 2| may be slightly conical in shape and may taper downwardly from the rim 23 of the hole 22 to the outer edge 24 of the cover 2 I. This construction is preferred so that water cannot accumulate on said cover 2| and/or flow through 75 said hole 22. The rim 23 of the hole 22 may be turned up slightly, if desired, to insure against the flowing of water through the hole 22 so that only water directly entering the hole 22 may pass therethrough. As it has been found that the water that enters the container I! has a tendency to flow down the inner walls instead of dropping directly into the container, it is preferred to provide a drip ring 25 on the und r side of the cover 2|. This ring may be formed in any desired manner as by stamping a downwardly extending ridge in the cover 2|. Any water that starts to flow down the inner walls of the cover 2I will be stopped by this ring 25 and will thus drip down into the container body 20.

The body portion 20 of the dispenser a perfectly round container having a bottom 26 which is provided with a plurality of dispensing apertures 21. In the majority of instances it has been found more desirable to have these apertures 21 in the bottom 26 of the body portion 20, as shown in Fig. 2. Under certain extreme conditions, however, it has been necessary to have the dispensing apertures 21 located in the side walls of the body portion 20 and spaced from the bottom 26, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In addition, this latter structure is more suitable if it is desired to use a ground product.

The operation of my method should be readily understood in view of the foregoing description. As the machine is started, the outlet 5 to the reservoir 3 is closed and hot water of the desired temperature is admitted through the inlet 4. The water is then circulated through the machine by the pump 8 which forces the water through the conduit I6 to the spray nozzles I5. As the water is sprayed from the nozzlese I 5, it flows from the washing chamber 2 back to the reservoir 3 through the grate 9, enveloping the detergent cake 6 which is openly mounted on said grate 9. This detergent cake 6 is attacked both by the moisture and by the heat, so that it rapidly disintegrates and drips down into the water in the reservoir 3 to form a highly eflicient washing solution. As the water is recirculated through the system by the pump 8, the detergent material is thoroughly dispersed therethrough. The cake 6 is of a suitable size to properly treat the water to quickly form a washing solution having the desired properties.

Simultaneous with this action, a restricted amount of spray enters the dispenser I! to attack the second cake 6 which is contained therein. Due to the construction of the entranc hole 22 in this cover 2 I, only a very small amount of spray is admitted. The spray has to pass directly through the aperture 22 to gain admittance, in view of the fact that moisture is not permitted to accumulate on the cover 2I of the dispenser I1 and/or to drain through said aperture 22. Consequently the disintegration of the second cake 6 within the container is due to the very small amount of moisture which gains admittance into the dispenser I6 serving as a transporting medium for small amounts of detergent material to replenish that which has been used in the solution, and thereby maintain the solution at a relatively constant strength. The speed of the replenishing action can be somewhat varied by changing the size of the aperture 22 in the dispenser I1. The arrangement should be such that the supply of additional small amounts of detergent material is started at the proper time to maintain the solution at a relatively constant strength.

Upon the disintegration of the first cake 6 which is openly mounted upon the grate 9, the

I1 may be solution has gained substantially the maximum strength, and the baskets l3 containing the soiled dishes M or the like may be placed in the washing chamber 2 on the movable supporting racks it. As these baskets 13 are moved into the chamber 2, they are subjected to the spray of the washing solution from both the top and bottom by the nozzles [5. The solution then drains therefrom, back into the reservoir 3 to be recirculated, meanwhile small amounts of spray finding their way into the dispenser l1 to act upon the second detergent cake 6 and thereby maintain the solution at a relatively constant strength. While this process has been described as relating to dishwashing machines it is evident that the same process may be employed in other types of machines for washing bottles, glasses, cans, and other containers and the like.

A fast dissolving solid detergent is a decided improvement over loose material or the slow dissolving fused or pressed detergent cakes for mechanical dishwashing. Tests made in a mechanical dishwasher, as described hereinbefore, using a fast dissolving solid detergent, disclosed the fact that maximum alkalinity can be obtained after 45 seconds when using water at 145 F. The resulting solution provided maximum washing conditions substantially at the start of the run. Loss of detergent power may be readily compensated for by following the method outlined above so as to maintain approximately the starting strength of the solution throughout the operation.

The graph shown in Fig. 4 illustrates the results obtained through the use of fast dissolving crystallized detergent cakes handled according to my method in a spray type dishwashing machine, in contrast to the results obtained through the use of loose detergents or the slow dissolving cakes under identical conditions. It has been found in the use of cakes that if the machine is started and one of the cakes is placed on the tray or screen, by the time the operator has enough dishes ready to wash, the maximum solution strength is reached. It may be seen that during washing the uniformity of solution strength is maintained relatively constant and is greatly improved over the other methods. It

is to be noted that the use of slow dissolving cakes in the above described manner will not render the same satisfactory results due to the fact that the wash solution will require several minutes to gain maximum strength.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 308,266, filed December 8, 1939 by the present applicant.

I claim:

1. A dispensing unit for housing and controlling the discharge of alkaline detergent material, said unit being adapted to be subjected to the moisture within a washing machine, which comprises a container having a small opening in the top thereof, the rim of said opening being raised above the surface of said top, whereby to limit the amount of moisture entering said container to contact and promote disintegration of the cake therein to form a concentrated solution, and dispensing apertures in said container below the top thereof, whereby to discharge said concentrated solution to said washing solution.

2. A dispensing unit for housing and controlling the discharge of alkaline detergent material, said unit being adapted to be subjected to the moisture within a washing machine, which comprises a container having a small opening in the top thereof, the rim of said opening lying above the surface of said container, whereby to limit the amount of moisture entering said container to contact and promote disintegration of the cake therein to form a concentrated solution, a drip ring depending from the top into said container, said ring being concentric with said opening and spaced a substantial distance therefrom to distribute the drippin-gs from said ring over a relatively large area of said container, and dispensing apertures in said container below the top thereof, whereby to discharge said concentrated solution to said washing solution.

GLENN M. BADER. 

